Kencyrath
}} The Kencyrath are three distinct races, Highborn, Kendar and Arrin-ken, who were bound together into one people by their Three Faced God. For this reason, they are also known as the Three People. Terminology The term Kencyrath refers to the Kencyr nation as a whole, while Kencyr refers to individual members of it. Kencyr is also an adjective, used to describe things like Kencyr culture. Before the Three-Faced God forged the Three People together, the people who later called themselves the Highborn called themselves the Kencyr. The term was later applied to all the peoples, and the Highborn renamed themselves. The native people of Rathillien sometimes casually refer to Kencyr as Kennies. History }} The Kencyrath have a long history, stretching back thirty millennia. However, after the Fall, they lost the vast majority of their history, with only a few scrolls surviving, along with a collection of songs. Highborn-Kendar relations Highborn-Kendar relations are complex and oft-times abusive, and it is a constant topic in the series. Common physical traits While there are many differences between Highborn and Kendar, and obviously both with Arrin-ken, there are many things that the two more humanoid peoples have in common with each other and differ from the common people of Rathillien. Reproduction }} Both Highborn and Kendar women have natural control over conception and can only conceive when they wish it, with the exception that a Highborn male can override that control with a Kendar female. It is not described how this occurs, and whether it is purely a physical reaction or whether it is tied into the ability to command that Highborn have over Kendar and thus is a matter of over-riding the woman's ability to decide in that way. A child with a Kendar mother and Highborn father may inherit Shanir traits from the Highborn side and is likely to be of intermediate body form, more gracile than a pure-blood Kendar and huskier than a pure-blooded Highborn. The need to serve a Highborn Lord still appears to be there. It is not certain whether a Highborn woman can conceive a child with a Kendar father. Highborn ladies that we've seen have in general been sequestered from males of either people. It would seem that there would be a reason for that, but it might be only that it would be a dishonor to a house if a Kendar male and Highborn female were intimate, even without the possibility of offspring. Highborn can also have children with the native people of Rathillien, as the example of Graykin shows; his father was Caldane, Lord Caineron, and his mother was a Southron from Karkinor. Lyra was also contracted to Odalian, though prevented from having children by their contract. Kencyr reproduction seems to correlate to months, though it's unclear if these "months" refer to Rathillien's 40-day months, or to the months on a earlier world, somewhere down the Chain of Creation. ''Dwar'' sleep Eyesight Kencyr have very sensitive eyesight and excellent night vision, a racial legacy of dimmer worlds. A gibbous moon can look nearly as bright as day to them. This leaves them more vulnerable to temporary blinding from intense light; Jame is left totally blinded by the glare of New Pantheon Sun God Dalis-sar, while her two Easterner companions (Dally and Canden) are not as badly affected. Culture Hand gestures The Kencyrath have a complex system of hand gestures. Language Kencyr speak the Kens language. They also use High Kens, a highly formal and archaic form of Kens, in a limited way as a classical language. Expressions Literacy Literacy is fairly modern among the Kencyrath. Traditionally, they relied on memory, and receive extensive memory training as a children accomplish this. Nowadays, this belief seems stronger with the Kendar than the Highborn. Older Kencyr are also less likely to be literate or to approve of literacy, such as Adric, Marc, Index, and Tentir's horse-master. "Memory is safer," is a common refrain. The basic idea is that paper is easier to destroy than people. The counterargument is that destroying people isn't too hard either. Recently, Tentir decided to begin teaching its cadets to read and write, thought the decision was controversial. And though scholars traditionally don't use writing either, there's a large library at Mount Alban. It's rumored that Jaran learn to read as babies. Of course, the Jaran are known to be eccentric and unconventional. Ancient works There does appear to have been some Kencyr literary tradition at some point, and the Law Scroll is a notable exception to the tradition of memorization. Priam's Codex and the Book Bound in Pale Leather is another ancient works, though like the Law Scroll, not necessarily of Kencyr creation. References }} - Category:Nations